


A Puzzle to be Solved

by GrimSylphie



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Almyra (Fire Emblem), Fluff, M/M, Quick Burn, no beta we die like Glenn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-17
Updated: 2020-03-17
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:33:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23178526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GrimSylphie/pseuds/GrimSylphie
Summary: Claude had a plan. It never included love or personal feelings but sometimes plans have to change. After all, in chess a king is nothing without a queen.
Relationships: Sylvain Jose Gautier/Claude von Riegan
Comments: 4
Kudos: 87





	1. Catch and Release

**Author's Note:**

> This was very much inspired by Cosu's (https://twitter.com/guessibetter) fancy Claude/Sylvain art on Twitter. I always thought Sylvix was the only way to go but they have opened my eyes to a whole new world. 
> 
> This was just a quick brain dump on the subject but I really enjoyed writing it. Both Claude and Sylvain are complex and challenging to write so I hope I did an all right job of capturing them.

Claude didn't come to Fodlan expecting to find love. It was never part of his plan. He was just going in, learn all he could about the land his mother left behind, and gain relationships he could leverage to make his dreams come true. He expected he would gain numerous acquaintances as the heir to House Riegan, and even a few friends among the more open minded students, but love was never part of the equation. He didn't expect Fodlan to give him such a complex puzzle in the form of a young man who was so desperate for affection he would destroy himself and those around him for a few tender moments. 

Claude hadn't expected such a gift to land in his lap, but when they learned The Golden Deer were going to be taught by the young new professor it wasn't long before The Blue Lions resident skirt chaser followed. Claude didn't think much of him, after all a connection in Faerghus was great, but he was already charming the overly noble crown prince. At first Sylvain did nothing to prove him wrong, he was an overly loose noble with too much money and too little morals. It wasn't until they were sent to hunt down a bandit, Sylvain's brother that he began to think differently. The usual face Sylvain presented was that of a charmer and a seasoned politician. He wore a fake smile just as any self-respecting noble would when making small talk amongst their peers. He was playing a game, but it didn't mean he was good at in. Anyone could play at nobility if they watched close enough. Claude was proof of that, as were many of the commoner students, Dorothea in particular came to mind. When they faced Miklan at Conand tower however, that façade broke. Claude managed to glimpse just a hint of the true Sylvain with equal parts hatred and love reflected in golden eyes, with just the slightest tinge of self-loathing. It was the first hint that there was something within him worth Claude's time. 

The next time Claude noticed something worthwhile about Sylvain was when he discovered his masochistic streak. He seemed to crave negative attention more than positive. He often overheard Sylvain being berated by Felix for failing to attend train sessions, even though he often caught Sylvain passed out in the dining hall, the stables, or anywhere girls from town might gather with his head in books for class or even treatises on dark magic. He heard Sylvain being yelled at by Ingrid for chasing skirts but Sylvain always seemed to know what every girl at the school needed. He heard Sylvain tutoring Annette, providing constructive criticism on Bernadetta's latest story (however unwanted it was), or treating Lysithea like an adult. He even saw him taking punishment for Hilda when she failed to return books. That last incident was of particular interest and he both noticed Hilda's manipulations and still chose to do what she wanted. 

It was after Flayn's kidnapping and subsequent rescue that Claude finally made his first move. He cornered Sylvain in the stables one night and offered him a friendly game of backgammon. Chess was the game of choice for most nobles and while Claude was a master at it, he knew a game played in any court in Fodlan would fail to capture the interest of a curious mind hungry for a challenge. Sylvain took his bait and they played. Claude discovered that a good challenge caused Sylvain to drop his guard. The first round was tense, Sylvain trying to determine the best strategy while simultaneously trying not to appear too smart by winning too easily. Once he discovered Claude was more than an even match for his skills he was able to play to his true abilities and that's when the mask started to fall. At first Claude kept it simple, asking him opinion on class work, strategies, and mundane incidents at the monastery. By the end of the night however he learned Sylvain refused to sleep with the women he courted out of fear they would rope him into marriage or use him to gain power and Sylvain was quite talented when it came to magic, but entirely self taught since his father, and most Faerghus nobility frowned anything but direct combat with a sword, lance, or axe. He also had a date for another game in a week's time. 

By the end of the next month, Claude was purchasing the full stock of board games from the merchants who visited Garreg Mach and had learned about the likes and dislikes of every student at the monastery, more Faerghus customs than he would ever need to know and one thing that surprised him. He enjoyed Sylvain's company. It was more than just the casual friendship he had with the other deer, Sylvain was witty, with a dark and somewhat self-depreciating sense of humor. He thrived on knowledge the way Claude himself did, and yet unlike Claude who used it for future plans and current schemes. He was pleased enough to save it and dole out little tidbits here and there when it would make his friends happy. He took Ingrid's abuse because it kept her from lashing out at Felix or Dimitri for the lose of her fiancée. He took Felix's disappointment because it was better than seeing the crushed confusion every time Felix went on a tirade about Dimitri's inhumanity. He took the weight of the world on his shoulders because of a masochistic streak a mile wide that led him to find joy in being a punching bag for others. It made Claude think they went too easy on Miklan. Still, something about the earnest look in his eyes made Claude crave more. 

Another month gone and Claude was now confident it was in deeper than he had ever expected. He had kissed Sylvain roughly after one of their games, warning him first, "I'm going to kiss, if you like it, return the kiss, if you don't push me away and it never happened." He gave Sylvain an option, and praised him when Sylvain took everything Claude had to give. They made out that night, Claude leaving bruises just below Sylvain's shirt collar, while Claude walked away with bloody scratches down his back. Every time Claude caused pain, he tempered it with praise and pleasure. Sylvain took it all. He glowed under the weight of Claude's touch. Each day more eager to please Claude doing whatever he asked. Sylvain's behavior noticeably improved because of it. He no longer went around town seeking the affection of women he hated. He attended more classes. Eager to improve because he was no longer limited to lances and axes. In turn his relationship with his childhood friends and classmates became better, though none of them could guess the cause was his late night trysts with Claude. 

Despite that, this was temporary. He could groom Sylvain into a fine chess piece to use when he eventually convinced Fodlan to open their borders. Sylvain could never know the truth before Claude was ready. That knowledge was a liability Claude could not allow. Sylvain proved him wrong one late night just a week after the professor's transformation. He knocked at Claude's door far later than he should have. When Claude opened the door Sylvain was there looking like he was pressed under the weight of a terrible truth. His face pale, his calloused hands barely holding a book in his grasp. Claude pulled him in and shut the door just as Sylvain fell to his knees. Claude leaned down, unsure of what had shaken him so. That's when he saw it, the book, a recent history of Almyra detailing the achievements of the current King and his wife, Queen Tiana. A fearsome warrior who fought her way from Fodlan, abandoning her life and according to rumors, a noble title, only to fall in love with the strongest man in Almyra. Claude panicked for a moment, glancing back up to Sylvain's eyes. This book shouldn't be in Fodlan, such materials were forbidden. If Sylvain read it... then he knew. "Prince..." Sylvain's chapped lips whispered as Claude felt an uncontrollable panic. He wanted to laugh, he wanted to cry. He had been so careful, and yet this man, this desperate and beautiful and brilliant and touch-starved man knew. What would that mean for Claude? What would that mean for his plans? 

Sylvain seemed to finally collect himself as Claude's mind tried to process a million different scenarios for moving forward. "You know, you really shocked me. I never would have expected." he smiled, then tried to laugh off the awkward tension. "Edelgard and Dimitri, they carry themselves like their above it all, like they're gods among men. It's not intentional, it's just what they were taught. You're different. You genuinely care, even if it's only because it may help you down the line, you want to know what people need. You try to help them. If that's common where you come from..." he didn't seem to be able to make himself say it allowed, as if it would make it more real. "Then, I think it's something we could use more of."

Claude laughed. He couldn't help it, all his fear fell away in a moment of pure joy as a weight he didn't even realize he was holding onto was released. Someone knew, they knew and they didn't care. They thought better of him for it. It wasn't much, but it was a start. That was the moment Claude fell irrevocably in love.

They spent that whole night sitting side by side on Claude's bed. Sylvain leaned on Claude's shoulder as Claude whispered countless stories of growing up in Almyra. He told Sylvain of his wants and his dreams. He told Sylvain secrets he never intended to whisper aloud and at the end, as the sun rose on a new day Sylvain whispered something Claude never expected to hear. "I'll help." 

All to soon however war broke out. Students were scattered, Claude returning to handle affairs among the Alliance on his grandfather's behalf while Sylvain returned to Gautier, trying to settle border disputes with Sreng while maintaining their independence. They exchanged countless encoded letters, Sylvain holding on by a thread under Margrave Gautier's not so tender hand. Claude even dared to meet Sylvain once or twice on nights of the new moon when there was low cloud cover to hide his flight. Though their battlefields were different, the ability to be their true selves during their rare hours together and in the countless letters they painstakingly encrypted and decrypted so that they might never be read by another brought them closer. During what little downtime he had Claude revised his plans, shaping them around his ally and lover. 

"In chess, the queen is the most powerful piece." his mother once explained. "She has the freedom to go where she will to defend her king. In turn, he trusts her judgement and knows she will always do what is best for the both of them. Your father may be the king, but I chose to be his queen. I come and go as I please and he trusts me to do what is best for both of us. When you fall in love, you must trust the one who holds your heart to do the same." Sylvain would be Claude's queen in this war, and if he was lucky perhaps he could Sylvain would continue to play the part in his new world.

When they reunited during what would be the Millennium Festival, Claude hadn't realized how he had missed having the redhead as a constant in his life. The two of them fell in step in a way they hadn't before the start of the war. Sylvain often sat in on the war council, stone faced, providing little public commentary. Then at night he spent long hours at Claude's side going over maps, refining plans and whispering little tells of nobles contributing to their cause. Their nights ended with bodies entangled and plans for a new future growing clearer and clearer with each passing day.

After many battles they won. Fodlan was united under a single banner, the ghosts of their ancestors were defeated and they were able to return to their homes. For Claude it was the moment of truth. He was off to reclaim his birthright and hopefully begin a new era of prosperity and trade between Almyra and Fodlan. Sylvain no longer had to be bound to his family's land and was free to make a choice. For Claude, it meant having faith that Sylvain would choose to be his queen, even if it wasn't an official appointment. Claude left in the night leaving Sylvain with only a kiss to remember him by and a note to guide him. 

"My Dearest Sylvain, It's time for a new game. Come find me. Love, Claude ~"


	2. Find and Reclaim

Sylvain took his time reaching the Almyran Capital. His initial instinct was to rush to catch up with Claude. After being apart for five years and then having a taste of Claude by his side daily he wasn't eager to go back to the way things were. He wanted to be beside Claude, and in this new united Fodlan he could have that opportunity. At first, he thought to use his own wyvern, Bergamot (a gift from Claude) but he knew his lover would have left at a speed he couldn't hope to follow with his young bull. Sylvain instead started to plan using the knowledge he gleaned from his late night conversations about Almyra with Claude and from the few accurate books he could find on the subject. Almyrans valued strength and loyalty in battle, but they did not value the ideals of chivalry the way Faerghus did. Instead they felt advantages should be pushed, failing to use all of your abilities was an insult to your opponent. Claude's mother courted his father by besting him in battle. It was the only way the people of Almyra would accept a foreign queen from an unfriendly land. Sylvain would be expected to do something similar if he wanted to remain by Claude's side. 

In Almyra hand-crafted beads like those woven into Claude's hair at the academy were symbols of deep bonds. Claude's had been for his coming of age, but Hilda managed to secure Sylvain a book on Almyran bead work from traders going through Fodlan's throat. Sylvain had gazed at it daily until he memorized the bead designs for courting. He used the knowledge engraved into his mind and a baby tooth from Bergamot to widdle a bead into perfect form. Once that was done, he gathered supplies and readied his affairs, sending a letter that would surely disappoint his father before taking his leave. 

The journey to Almyra was hot. The desert was unforgiving. Sylvain silently thanked Lysithea daily for the spell he taught to protect his skin from the sun. It was far easier than carrying tubs of protective balm the way soldiers did during the Spring campaigns in Gautier where the remaining snow only made the rays of the sun seem stronger. 

Along the way Sylvain encountered countless enemies. Soldiers and villagers who were wary of the foreign man with crimson hair travelling through their land, heading for the capital. Sylvain faced them all head on and disarmed them with relative ease. When he reached the capital he found a small squad of soldiers waiting for him. They were unique in that they were all women. They were led by a fearsome middle aged woman with dark hair streaked with silver in a series of elaborate braids. She wore a light tunic and linen trousers that were fitted for her body. They were embroidered with beading and jewels signalling that she was someone of standing. She complimented her ensemble with a sword at her waist and a bow on her back. She struck a fearsome image and for the first time since entering Almyra Sylvain knew he was in for a challenge.

"Good day ma'am. I am looking to speak with Prince Claude, he's expecting me." Sylvain laid on the charm, giving his best smile and a wink. He hoped he might talk his way around this. He had seen Nader during the war and heard stories of the ferocity of the women warriors of Almyra.

She smirked. "You're as charming as he said. You wouldn't think it would be that easy, did you?" 

Sylvain laughed. "No, ma'am. You can't blame me for hoping, though. Are we doing this one on one, or will your entourage be joining you?"

"They're just here to observe. This is between you and me." She said, pulling her sword and jumping forward in a flash. Sylvain barely managed to bring up his lance to block in time. He was fortunate that years of being attacked without warning by Felix prepared him to block at a moment's notice. Sylvain pushed her back and arced his lance outward, pushing his opponent back. 

He barely had a moment's reprieve before she jumped at him again, swinging right before feinting left when he went to block. Sylvain almost lost a finger when he brought up his hand-axe to block the second blow. They continued like this, blow for blow, Sylvain unable to go on the offensive, but not losing ground as he parried every blow that came his way. The other warrior women formed a circle around him, disabling any means of escape. 

Sweat dripped down Sylvain's bangs and he shook his head to keep it out of his eyes. He was fading fast in the midday heat but he couldn't allow himself to fail after coming so far. He couldn't move forward against her but perhaps he could push back. He turned as if to leave the circle and jumped when the youngest of his opponent's entourage raised her blade to stop him. He was able to place his foot on the flat of the blade and bounce forward, the extra momentum allowing him to push past his opponent's blade and skim her cheek. Drawing first blood. He stepped back, preparing for the next attack when he heard it. Clapping. 

The sound came from a nearby rooftop and filled the area. When Sylvain looked up to the source he saw Claude, dressed in traditional Almyran garb cheering him on. "What a show. I told you he was strong AND clever, anne." Sylvain felt tears well up in his eyes. He missed Claude more than he thought. 

He looked to the woman he now knew for sure to be Claude's mother, Tiana Von Riegan. She was smiling as well. "You did indeed. I suppose he passes muster. You will make him presentable and bring him to dinner tonight so that your father can see the sort of man you've been consorting with." She took her leave, one of her handmaids taking Sylvain's wyvern. "We'll put this one in the stables next to Butterscotch. After all, she must be tired."

With that said they left, leaving Sylvain alone with Claude. His lover jumped down from the rooftop and grabbed Sylvain's hand. "It's about time. I've been waiting!" he exclaimed threading his fingers through Claude's. "What took you so long?" 

Sylvain chuckled looking his lover up and down. Even at first glance Claude seemed a lot more free, the smile actually meeting his eyes even though they were in public. In Fodlan, Claude laughed with everyone and smiled when appropriate but it rarely met his eyes outside of their private chats where no one could see. Claude had always been afraid to show his true self, Sylvain didn't blame him really. The rest of Claude's appearance had changed as well. The signature braid he had when they first met was back. The rest of his wild curls were tamed by by a colorful scarf woven in golds and greens. His chest was partially bare, the v of his shirt cutting low on his neckline. His pants, hadn't changed from the time when he had led the alliance other than the fabric was thinner. His feet were clad in sandals. His skin had tanned a bit and somehow it made the tiny freckles Sylvain could barely see back in Garreg Mach far more visible. He had a dagger on his hip, bound with a wide fabric sash belt. Sylvain felt his mouth grow dry over the beauty before him. "You didn't exactly leave me a map. The people didn't seem too accommodating when I told them I was looking for the crown prince so I could kiss the hell out of him." Sylvain smirked. 

Claude laughed. "I guess that famous Gautier charm doesn't work across the border. Almyrans are made of sterner stuff." He winked at Sylvain and then began dragging him along. "C'mon. You look hell and you smell like wyvern shit. Let's get you cleaned up before dinner." Claude smirked, teasing as always. 

Claude led Sylvain through winding alleys and empty buildings until they reached what Sylvain assumed was the castle. A large structure built out of sandstone with elegant column and balconies covered in colorful fabrics. Claude led him through a back entrance, past countless hallways, a kitchen or two before bringing him into a large room and letting him go. THe room he had been deposited in looked like it would be impressive and ornate under normal circumstances. Instead the only impressive thing was the mess. Books overflowed from the bookshelf and the desk into piles onto the floor. There was a table set up with maps and board game pieces, the bedsheets were a mess and there seemed to be a quill or two on the bed. It was not the room he expected a prince to have. It was nothing like the neat, sterile room Dimitri kept before his descent into madness. Still, there was no doubt it was Claude's. The only differences between this room and the one at the monastery were the lack of Claude's clothes. 

"You haven't changed at all." Sylvain chuckled at the sight. 

Claude turned to see what Sylvain was looking at and smiled. "Hey, a lot has changed. I have people who do my laundry. And besides, this room has really been lacking something."

Sylvain took a second look but couldn't see any differences. "What?"

"It's missing you!!" Claude grabbed Sylvain's hand again and led him to a large tub where he turned on the water before proceeding to strip Sylvain of his clothes and light armor. He checked the temperature and finding it satisfactory shoved Sylvain in. 

"You know normally people take me to dinner before stripping me." Sylvain grimaced at how brown the water was after just a few moments. 

Claude laughed. "You'll get your dinner later, Syl. I've waited too long for this."

In the end they had to drain the water three times to get all the dirt and sand off. Claude ended up in the tub half way through and they took the time to reacquaint themselves. When they finally left the bath, their skin pruned from being in the water for too long. "You know, guys usually take me out to dinner before doing all that." Claude quipped.

"Well, I'm not terribly familiar with the area. Perhaps you could recommend a place." Sylvain replied, using one of the many towels Claude provided to dry his hair. 

"Well, fortunately for you, I have an in at this fancy little place. I'll take you." Claude replied, throwing a bundle of clothing at Sylvain. It was traditional Almyran wear. It seemed a bit too casual for dinner with the king but he saw Claude was dressing similarly so he wasn't too concerned. The king of Almyra wasn't known for standing on circumstance from what Claude said in the past. While his boyfriend re-braided his hair, Sylvain looked down at his wrist. He made sure the bead he had hand-carved was still attached to the leather wrap around his wrist.

"Ready to go?" Claude asked, dragging Sylvain from his thoughts.

"Yup!" Sylvain shouted, perhaps a bit too loud. He tried to hide his wrist but he was almost certain that Claude had seen it. 

Claude led them back through the halls until they reached a small dinner room with just six seats. The other seats were already occupied with allies he knew from the war, Judith and Nader, Claude's mother Tiana, and finally an imposing man with impressive muscles, a light beard, long hair tied up at the top of his head. He had scars on his bare arms and even a few on his face. Sylvain knew this must be Claude's father, The King of Almyra. 

There was silence at their entry. Claude's father was frowning, his arms crossed. "About time my boy." He broke into a huge smile, motioning for them to sit. "Your mother told me that lover of yours arrived today. She said he's clever. That he held himself back and didn't even use his magic to outmatch her." 

Claude smiled and gripped Sylvain's hand before bringing him forward. "Father, mother, this is Sylvain Jose Gautier from Fodlan, formerly of Faerghus to the north. He is my trusted ally and my closest confidant."

Sylvain almost teared up at Claude's words but he held back, almost afraid of what Claude's father would say. 

"That's not all he is Claude, at least if what Nader says is true." was the reply. Sylvain was slightly shocked. It was the sort of comment that would be considered, crass, bordering indecent in some of the noble homes of Fodlan. 

Claude smirked. "Yes, that much is true, but I'm not really one to kiss and tell." he pulled out a chair for Sylvain to sit down. The redhead was in somewhat of a stupor, surprised by the unexpected turn the conversation took before the first course was served. 

Claude's father laughed again. His voice was deep and sounded like rolling thunder. "That's my boy. Silver tongued, just like his mother."

Sylvain let out a meek smile, suddenly terrified in a way he hadn't been since the last time he sat down at the formal dinner with Margrave Gautier. His father always sized him up and found him lacking. He was afraid that Claude's father would feel the same and refuse him. 

Claude placed a hand on the back of Sylvain's neck, squeezing it, and grounding him in a way Sylvain needed more than he knew. His lover had long ago learned how to stop him from falling to a pit of self doubt and going deeper and deeper until he felt like he was drowning. 

Fortunately Lady Judith Daphnel stepped in on his behalf. "I was promised a feast, let's give the boys a break and eat." Sylvain looked over and gave her a grateful glance. 

"Excellent idea, Judy." Claude's mother chimed in, and with a clap servants brought in dishes. The food was colorful in ways Sylvain had never seen. Each dish had more spices and herbs than the last. Honestly, Sylvain only knew what half of it was from Claude's past descriptions and books on Almyra. Claude helped him pick out foods by offering him servings or passing him a dish he knew Sylvain would like. Sylvain was pleased to find the food to be rich and flavorful in a way the food in Fodlan never was. Some of it perhaps to flavorful for his inexperienced palette.

The table quickly dissolved into small talk, each of the legends at the table shared stories of great battles and victories. Claude would jump in every now and again. In the rare instances that discussions shifted to the war, or battles in Fodlan Sylvain would add in his two cents where he could. Overall he felt rather out of his depth. 

By the time they reached the last course Sylvain was full, bordering on stuffed. That was when the conversation shifted back to Sylvain and Claude's relationship. It was Claude's father, currently the scariest man in Sylvain's life since he hadn't seen his own father since reuniting with Claude during the war. 

"So, Sylvain, what brought you all the way to heart of Almyra, no sane man would journey so far without a reason. I think highly of my son but somehow I don't think his skills in bed are worth risking your life over." 

Sylvain's stomach dropped. He knew this was coming. He had expected it. He had prepared for it. Yet somehow he found his hands were shaking when he reached over to grab the braided cord from around his wrist. He untied the knot and pulled off the bead he had spent hours widdling, carving, and perfecting. He had practiced on so many sticks and ceramics before carving this one from Bergamot's baby tooth. 

"Well." he swallowed, finding his courage when Claude placed a hand on his knee. "I came here to ask Claude something he didn't give me a chance to ask before he left. We played a lot of games together at the monastery and again during the war. We would stay up until dawn playing because neither of us wanted to leave things undone. When he left I felt incomplete, like a piece of me was missing. So I came here..." Sylvain swallowed, his mouth feeling dry once more. He turned to Claude and took the hand the brunette had placed on his knee. "To ask for your hand in marriage."

They had spoken about the subject. Unlike in Fodlan where blood heirs were valued, adopted children were considered just as valid as long as they had the right temperament to rule. Claude had told Sylvain is great grandfather was adopted and that his own father was the third child of his grandfather but the only one who had the strength and mental fortitude to be king. 

"Of course. I'd expect nothing else." Claude said grasping the bead and immediately replacing it at the base of his braid. "Is, this?"

"Bergamot's baby tooth." Sylvain said, answering Claude's question before he could finish asking. 

"It's perfect. This is quite the technique from someone who didn't spend their whole life practicing. I'm impressed but certainly not surprised. I expected nothing less. " Claude replied offering Sylvain a kiss that deepened and lasted perhaps a moment or two too long. The two of them not parting until they were interrupted by someone clearing their throat. 

To Sylvain's surprise it was Claude's mother, not his father. "I expected a traditional boy from Faerghus to at least ask for permission from his lover's parents first."

Sylvain laughed. "I always expected to, but Claude taught me it doesn't matter what family thinks, you have to carve your own path in life." 

"You're bold. I like that." Claude's father chimed in with a hearty laugh. "A toast to my future son-in-law. Let's hope his skin doesn't burn red as a lobster."

The whole table burst into laughter and Sylvain looked to Claude's vibrant emerald eyes and smiled. He was finally home.


End file.
